Protest Politics

Editorial

The National Security Services (NSS) must surely have been in the field this week at Camp Levieux and its surrounding areas, and earlier in the south of the island, particularly at Chemin Grenier then Plaine Magnien, following citizens protests in these places with each incident coming simultaneously within the last three weeks. If the Plaine Magnien protests had to do with the continuing problem of floodings there and in other localities around the island following heavy downpours due to faulty or inexistent drains, the street protests at Camp Levieux must have jolted the authorities given that these protests appear to be a first in many decades for reasons of economic hardships encountered by the population, in particular low income households that are hit hardest by the rising prices of essential commodities, fuel and pharmaceutical prices, etc.

There is always the suspicion of sinister and underhand manipulation by the opposition and other forces whenever citizens take to the streets to voice out different grievances, or worse, to challenge the established order. It is not known whether the NSS investigations have been able to come up withevidence other than suspicions of any such manipulation in the incidents at Plaine Magnien or at Camp Levieux, but it should be a matter of concern to the political party/alliance in powerwhenever such spontaneous citizens protests occur. Almost two years ago, there was social unrest with the poor planning and implementation of lockdowns. Today the public expressions of the people’s sense of growing frustration about their abandonment in heavy and repeated floodings despite billions reportedly allocated to drains in the last budget add to the anger felt when those in Bambous Virieux had to street-vent recently for prolonged lack of drinking water and were subjected to police crackdown. * Read More… Become a Subscriber

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 22 April 2022